The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for storing and transferring data in a secure manner, and more particularly, to apparatus and methods that provide for secure, mobile, data storage and transmission.
In a highly classified processing center, computers are typical not connected to a communication network. This precludes threats that attack the computers through the communication networks. Threats such as virus, worms, or Trojan horses cannot be introduced from a general network environment. However, information must be exchanged between computers.
When a classified storage media is transported from one location to another, the information is typically protected by physical security means. This may be inconvenient or not feasible. For example, the storage device can be locked in a carrying case which is in turn attached to the person transporting the case with key to open this case unavailable to him.
To physically carry classified information from a physically protected location in a conventional manner, it must be secured in proper container, and at all times be attended by a courier. This may be very inconvenient for the courier, and is expensive. If the content of the information is encrypted using a traditional symmetric key algorithm, then the difficulty is to distribute the key to all receiving sites ahead of the time. This involves many keys if the number of sites grow beyond a handful.
Therefore, it would be an advantage to have a secure data storage and transmission technique that precludes the necessity of transmitting numerous sets of keys to each location. In addition, it would be an advantage to have a secure data storage and transmission technique wherein the data storage media may be transmitted by commercial courier or U.S. Mail service to each location instead of by courier.